How to Check if User is a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10


You can sign in to Windows 10 with a local account or a Microsoft account.

This tutorial will show you how to check if a user account in Windows 10 is either a local account or a Microsoft account.

   Note

Microsoft account vs Local account

 Local account

A local account is a user name and password that you use to sign in to only a single Windows PC. This is the same type of user account that was used in Vista and Windows 7.

See also: Local Accounts (Windows 10)

• You have to create a user name and account for each PC you use.
• While not recommended, you can remove the password if you like
• You'll need a Microsoft account to download apps from the Store, but you can set it up later.
• Your settings won't be synced across the PCs that you use.

 Microsoft account

A Microsoft account is an email address and password that you can use to sign in to Microsoft services and all Windows 8/10 PCs and devices.

See also: Microsoft Accounts (Windows 10)

Some benefits:

• Free.
• Password cannot be removed since it is required, but you can change the password.
• Access, save, share, and sync all of your documents, music, photos, and videos from OneDrive (aka: the cloud) on all PCs and devices that you sign in with the same Microsoft account.
• Download, install, and restore apps from the Windows Store.
• Get your online content in Microsoft apps automatically.
• Sync your personal settings across all PCs and devices that you sign in to with the same Microsoft account.
• Two-step verification to verify your identity whenever you sign in to your Microsoft account.
• You can set limits for how and when your child uses their Microsoft account. Monitoring their activity so you teach them online safety skills.
• Jot down a note in OneNote. Next time you sign in to a device (doesn’t even have to be the same one) you'll be right back to where you left off, no matter where you were, or the device used last time.
• Your Microsoft account keeps track of your Xbox Music Pass collection and playlists, syncing across your tablet, PC, phone, and your Xbox console.
• Use your Windows Phone as a controller for your Xbox console when you're signed in with the same Microsoft account.
• You can link your Microsoft account to the Windows 10 digital license (formerly called digital entitlement) on your device. This can help you reactivate Windows using the Activation troubleshooter if you make a hardware change later, such as replacing the motherboard.

For a Windows 11 version of this tutorial, see:

Check Account is Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 11

Contents

• Option One: Check if You are Signed in with a Microsoft account or Local account in Settings
• Option Two: Check if You are Signed in with a Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel
• Option Three: Check if any User is a Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel
• Option Four: Check if Users are a Microsoft account or Local account in PowerShell

OPTION ONE

Check if You are Signed in with a Microsoft account or Local account in Settings

1 Open Settings, and click/tap on the Accounts icon.

2 Click/tap on Your info on the left side. (see screenshots below)

If you see an email address under your user name on the right side with Manage by Microsoft account and Sign in with a local account instead links under it, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.

If you see an email address under your user name on the right side with Manage by Microsoft account and Stop signing in to all Microsoft apps automatically links under it, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a local account, but will be automatically signed in to all Microsoft Store apps and websites with your Microsoft account.

If you see the words Local Account under your user name on the right side with a Sign in with a Microsoft account instead link under it, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a local account.

OPTION TWO

Check if You are Signed in with a Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel

1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.

2 Look at your user account box on the right side. (see screenshots below)

If you see an email address under your user name, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a Microsoft account.

If you see the words Local Account under your user name, then you are signed in to Windows 10 with a local account.

OPTION THREE

Check if any User is a Microsoft account or Local account in Control Panel

You must be signed in as an administrator to be able to do this option.

1 Open the Control Panel (icons view), and click/tap on the User Accounts icon.

2 Click/tap on the Manage another account link. (see screenshot below)

3 If prompted by UAC, click/tap on Yes.

4 Look at each user account box. (see screenshot below)

If you see an email address under the user name, then the user account is a Microsoft account.

If you see the words Local Account under the user name, then the user account is a local account.

OPTION FOUR

Check if Users are a Microsoft account or Local account in PowerShell

1 Open PowerShell.

2 Copy and paste the command below you want to use into PowerShell, and press Enter. (see screenshots below)

(Show only enabled accounts in PowerShell)
Get-LocalUser | Where-Object { $_.Enabled -match "True"} | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource

OR

(Show only enabled accounts to .txt file)

Code:

Get-LocalUser | Where-Object { $_.Enabled -match "True"} | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource | Out-File -filepath "$Env:userprofile\Desktop\Enabled_Accounts.txt"

OR

(Show all accounts in PowerShell)
Get-LocalUser | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource

OR

(Show all accounts to .txt file)

Code:

Get-LocalUser | Select-Object Name,PrincipalSource | Out-File -filepath "$Env:userprofile\Desktop\All_Accounts.txt"

3 You will now see the name of user accounts and if they are a Microsoft account or local account.

That's it,
Shawn Brink

Related Tutorials

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• How to Allow or Block Microsoft Accounts in Windows 10
• How to Add a Local Account or Microsoft Account in Windows 10
• How to Delete a User Account in Windows 10
• How to View Full Details of All User Accounts in Windows 10
• How to Switch to a Local Account from a Microsoft Account in Windows 10
• How to Switch to a Microsoft Account from a Local Account in Windows 10
• How to Determine if Users are an Administrator or Standard User in Windows 10
• How to Change Account Type of Users in Windows 10
• How to Add or Remove Users from Groups in Windows 10
• How to Change User Name of Account in Windows 10

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